M3 Chapter 8 - Beads

I had quite a collection of beads and had coloured some wooden ones with acrylic paint. For my bead sampler I decided to use an ammonite shape, and for the background I used coloured cotton organdie with some strips of painted bonda web ironed on. I used medium weight calico as backing fabric. I drew a simple pattern outline from a picture on the internet.

 

 

From the center: Single diamond shape glass bead, frosted glass seed, gold rocailles, variegated rocailles, renaissance beads, glass beads cross stitched, bugle beads, wire check purl snipped, chains of rocailles, flat paillettes with seed bead, flat back glass beads with chain stitch and short bugle beads, bugle beads in check pattern, flat back glass beads with straight stitch, short chains square and diamond beads, flat paillettes with seed bead and seed bead pattern, trapped renaissance beads under sheer fabric with seed beads, bugle beads with seed bead pattern, steam punk beads with paillettes and renaissance beads, and shi-sha mirror with bugle beads.

 

Outside the spiral shape I stitched some coloured wooden beads with flat back glass beads.

 

Although I'm not a keen 'beader', the sampler made me look at several ways to attach and use them. I wasn't particularly pleased with my painted beads at first but with a little sanding down I'm pleased with the effect. I then moved onto using beads as edging.

 

 

I used a mixture of renaissance, glass, seed, paillettes and bugle beads.

 

I like using cotton organdie as it colours well, is quite fine and light weight, however it does tear easily and leaves holes if any stitching is unpicked. I would probably use a silk noil or similar in the future.

M3 Chapter 7 - Simple Button Making

Onto button making. I started by making core shapes from thick cardboard covered with wadding, and then coloured fabric. I wrapped the first three with gold Ophir and rayon, and rubbed some metallic 'gleam' over the top. For the next three I added some beads after I had wrapped them with Polysheen. I then dipped and rubbed acrylic wax on them all and added some gold Pearlex. I was pleased with the results of these, particularly the wax.

 

I decided to make some round buttons and again added some gleam before wrapping and knotting with stitched cords.

 

For making toggle buttons I started by wrapping strips of coloured fabric.

 

 

Then I wrapped and cut strips of Tyvek, added synthetic fabric and threads. I used the heat gun to melt the Tyvek and a wood burner tool.

 

Finally I wrapped and melted some painted synthetic felt. These made a nice spiral 'shell' shape.

 

For making Dorset buttons I bought a little booklet by Marion Howitt It's really useful, with lots of different techniques packed in. I made some different types of traditional button, including one using a cord, and then made a few birds eye buttons. I will explore this technique further as there are many variations that I can try.

 

M3 Chapter 6 - Simple Tassels

As with the cord making, I also enjoyed making tassels and found it quite relaxing. I made several using both hand and machine techniques and I could have made many more. I have not made tassels using machine stitching before and found this a good technique for a different look. I liked using cords and strips and threads and achieving a more irregular 'shabby' effect. I've found rayon threads of different thicknesses particularly useful for making cords and tassels.

I looked at how I could use a painted cotton reel to make a 'mould'. I will develop this further for my accessory.

M3 Chapter 5 - Cord Making

I really enjoy cord making so was looking forward to extending my skills and trying some new ideas. I used a braiding foot on my machine and a zig zag stitch, a variety of threads including variegated and used a different colour for top and bottom threads. For the cores I used t-shirt strips, silk strips, two sizes of wire, string, raffia and other threads.

 

I actually ended up making about three times the amount of cords in the photos! I liked using the wires and the cotton covered ones worked well, also the silk strips which dyed nicely.

 

When I visited the Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace this year I found a lovely stand selling a variety of threads, kits and equipment to make braids. I made two Laramie braids using a disc and a Japanese Kumihimo braid. There are many, many variations which can be made using this method. It is a bit like straw plaiting or using a Knitting Nancy.

 



 I started with twisting strips to make cords; t-shirt strips, raffia, stitched cords, silk & rayon thread, silk strips, wool & t-shirt strips.

 

I then knotted some cords; Turks Head knot (tricky), simple knots, continuous twist, half hitch, double ridge and looped braid. The corded wire was interesting because I could see lots of uses for it.

 

I plaited some of the cords, using 3 and 4 strands and knots.



The wrapped cords were fun to make, using the cords as the core.

 

I'm hoping to use some or all of my sample cords for my resolved sample and accessory piece.



M3 Chapter 4 - Decorate With Stitchery

I started off with hand stitching, and used an ammonite shape to stitch a large continuous spiral.

 

I used running stitch on a single layer of fabric.

 

I then stitched a 'Hundertwasser' inspired series of spirals.

 

 

I moved onto free machine stitching. I started off using my usual Janome but bought a new Brother Innovis VQ2 machine so obviously I finished my samples using this. I dithered quite a lot about which machine to buy, this machine has a long arm allowing more room for free machine stitching and also I bought the bobbin work kit which means I don't need to worry about altering the bobbin case tension!

 

I started off with practicing spirals shapes, randomly.

 

 

Then I tried layers of cable stitch, I didn't feel this sample particularly worked. It was a bit of a struggle to do the cable stitch.

 

 

The new machine arrived and I had a play!



 

I went back to the ammonite shape to stitch, I was fairly pleased but think with more practice I'll improve. It's not quite 'second nature' to me yet.

 

 

Then for the next two samples I practiced with cable stitch and whip stitch.

 

The cable and whip stitch was certainly much easier with my new machine, although I think I could get a better whip stitch.